Undergraduate Research & Creativity (UGRC)
WHY Undergraduate Research and Creativity? (UGRC)
"Undergraduate research has given me the opportunity to connect classic literature to a relevant issue today. Presenting at conferences has given me additional confidence."
Noel Fedeli, Secondary Education GermanKU Inspires is an annual celebration of student research and creativity that took place on Wednesday, April 21, 2021. The event celebrates student-generated research at all stages from works in progress to completed projects.
The 2021 conference featured work by student researchers in a broad range of disciplines and across colleges. Click here to view the 2021 conference program.
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FIND AND WORK WITH FACULTY MENTORS
Undergraduate research is defined as "inquiry guided by a faculty mentor that makes an original intellectual or creative contribution to a discipline" (Council on Undergraduate Research [CUR]).
Pennsylvania State System of higher education faculty expertise showcase
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PUBLISH AND PRESENT AT REGIONAL, NATIONAL, OR INTERNATIONAL LEVELS
PUBLICATION VENUES at KU
-students can work with faculty to publish exceptional research here, complete with a Creative Commons license
Essence Fine Art & Literary Magazine
-"Essence is a collaborative effort of KU students who express themselves through various artistic media. Entries represent the best student work created at KU. The magazine is curated, edited, and designed by students committed to the goal of producing a beautiful showcase for their work." -(from Essence, 2018)
-Shoofly is an annual journal published by the English Department's Professional Writing Program. It features work by student writers at Kutztown University.
CONFERENCES AT KU
Annual Sexual Minorities Conference
-takes place end of September
KU Commission on Human Diversity Annual Conference
-takes place early March; submission deadline end of December
-takes place mid-April; submission deadline December
REGIONAL Undergraduate CONFERENCES
- Interdisciplinary
Berks County Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference
-takes place end of April; submission deadline early March
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Modern Languages (German)/Interdisciplinary (History, Film Studies, Jewish Studies)
Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges (LVAIC) Undergraduate Conference in German Studies
- Philosophy and Religious Studies
PASSHE Philosophy and Religious Studies Conference
- STEM
PASSHE STEM Undergraduate Research Conference
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Women's and Gender Studies/Interdisciplinary
Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges (LVAIC) Women's and Gender Studies Conference
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Philosophy
Undergraduate Conference in Medieval and Early Modern Studies (Moravian College)
Undergraduate-Friendly Professional Conferences
American Association of Geographers Middle States Division Annual Meeting
Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Geographical Society
Eastern Communication Association
Mid-Atlantic Council on Latin American Studies (MACLAS)
Northeast Modern Language Association (NeMLA) Undergraduate Forum
Pennsylvania Historical Association
Pennsylvania Political Science Association
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EXPLORE CAREER DIRECTIONS, BUILD TRANSFERABLE SKILLS AND ENHANCE MARKETABILITY
Skills that student researchers and creators develop correspond directly to the "soft skills" that employers look for in their new hires.
SOFT SKILLS: WHAT EMPLOYERS WANT Infographic
Soft Skill
How UG Researchers build That Skill
Critical Thinking/Problem Solving
-exercise sound reasoning to analyze problems, make decisions, obtain, interpret, and use knowledge and facts, demonstrate creativity and inventiveness in developing original research projects
Oral/Written Communication
-present at conferences, articulate thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively in written and oral forms
-express ideas clearly to others
-sharpen public speaking skills
Teamwork/Collaboration
-work with fellow students of diverse cultures, races, ages, genders, lifestyles, and viewpoints
-work within a team structure and manage conflict
Digital Technology
-leverage existing digital technologies to solve problems, perform research, and share research with a broader forum
Leadership
-leverage the strengths of others to achieve common goals
-develop interpersonal skills
-take the lead in managing and executing a research project
Professionalism/Work Ethic
-demonstrate effective work habits, manage time workload
-understand the impact of non-verbal communication
-act responsibly in the larger community (ex: presentation venues)
Career Management
-identify skills, strengths, knowledge, and experience
-pursue opportunities relevant to future employment
-advocate for themselves
Global/Intercultural Fluency
-learn from diverse cultures, races, ages, genders, sexual orientations, and religions
-interact professionally in other cultures by presenting in international venues
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UGRC BY ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT
Click on the highlighted departments below to find out about existing department-specific and major-specific opportunities.
College of Business
Business Administration
Sport Management & Leadership Studies
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
Counselor Education and Student Affairs
Elementary Education
Library and Learning Technologies
Special Education
COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES
Anthropology and Sociology
Biological Sciences
Computer Science and Information Technology
Criminal Justice
English
Geography
History
Mathematics
Modern Language Studies
Physical Sciences
Political Science and Public Administration
Psychology
Social Work
COLLEGE OF VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS
Art & Art History
Art Education & Crafts
Cinema, Television and Media Production
Communication Design
Communication Studies
Music
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PURSUE UNIVERSITY-SPONSORED AND EXTERNAL FUNDING
KU offers two main sources of funding: KU BEARS and the Undergraduate Research Fund. The Kutztown University Foundation also occasionally sponsors student research projects. Faculty and students have also obtained funding from external sources such as the National Science Foundation.
2019 Association of American Geographers Annual Meeting
Marie Smoyer presents at the Association of American Geographers Annual Meeting in 2019.
Special Education Students Present Poster at CEC 2021
Special Education majors Rebecca Deller, Maggie McFadden, and Madison Dailey (supervised by Professor Kyleigh Ivory) present their poster titled "A Review of Educational Supports for Students with Chronic Health Conditions Requiring Extended and Frequent Hospitalization" at the 2021 Council for Exceptional Children Virtual Conference.
Students Present Poster at TASH Conference
Special Education majors Kailey Smith, Robin Smith, and Tori Bissinger (supervised by Professor Kyleigh Ivory) present their poster titled "Teachers' Perceptions of Preparedness Working with Students with Chronic Medical Conditions: A Review" at the 2020 TASH Conference.
Students Exhibit Original Work at the Eckhaus
Eckhaus is a student-run art gallery. Students work with the Kutztown community to present, local, regional, international, faculty, alumni, and student work in all mediums.
Analyzing DNA by gel electrophoresis
A student loads DNA samples on an agarose gel as part of a project to create modified apoptosis (programmed cell death) proteins.
KU English Student Takes Top Prize
Ariel Jennings was awarded the "Best Paper" Prize at the LVAIC Women & Gender Studies Conference for her paper "Bitches Be Crazy: Searching for Diversity in the Domestic Thriller."
Kutztown University Archaeology Field School
Tabitha Martinez (l) and Dani Cannon (r) identify an artifact discovered while excavating in the Stoddart Mansion at Stoddartsville, a 19th-century milling village in northeast Pennsylvania that is the current site of the Kutztown University Archaeology Field School.
Resistivity Survey of West Creek in Schuylkill Watershed
KU undergraduate students Sebastien Treciak, Alexandra Racosky, and Emily Snyder set up a resistivity survey line in West Creek of the Schuylkill Watershed to pinpoint zones of seepage that will be targeted by local watershed groups for remediation efforts against the large scale abandoned mine drainage problems that exist in that area.
Dr. Wong Champions Undergraduate Research
Dr. Tony Wong, associate professor of mathematics, consistently works with students on developing research ideas that students go on to present at regional or national conferences.
Student/Faculty Research Team
Dr. Mark Wolfmeyer mentored Anna Nissley, Secondary Education Spanish, on her presentation at the American Educational Studies Association.
Researching Gender Bias in the Middle School Classroom
James Durham and Jenna Plump, Middle-Level Education, discuss their research with their faculty mentor, Carol Watson. The team is investigating gender bias in the middle school classroom with an emphasis on student voices.
Student Advocates for Undergraduate Research
Victoria Salazar, BS Chemistry BA German, speaks to students in classes about the value of participating in undergraduate research and creativity conferences.
Student Researches PA German Cartoon
Erica Cohen Hamilton, Anthropology, is conducting original research on a Pennsylvania German cartoon, Pumpernickel Bill, that ran in the Morning Call newspaper.
Fedeli Wins Honorable Mention Prize
Noel Fedeli, Secondary Education German, presented at KUs Council on Human Diversity Conference and then went on to present at the Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges German Studies Conference, where she won an honorable mention prize for her project #metoo .
Student Interviews Controversial Turkish-German Rap Artist
Lauren Verna, Secondary Education German, had the opportunity to meet and interview rap artist Lady Bitch Ray aka Reyhan Sahin, at the Women in German conference at the University of the South.
2018 AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF GEOGRAPHERS MIDDLE STATES DIVISION
Emily Cantor presents at the American Association of Geographers Middle States Division Annual Meeting in 2018.